Fake Chanel Bag is never a good investment, it’s the biggest fear of all eBay enthusiasts and a thorn in the eye of every true Chanel fan. Oh, did I mention it’s also illegal? But, what if you’re offered a good-looking, pre-loved bag? What if the price seems quite rational and the owner pretty honest? Well, unfortunately none of these factors are a guarantee that you won’t end up sporting a fake Chanel bag! Fear not, my ladies, as there are many ways to spot a fake Chanel bag and avoid paying big money for something that’s not worth it! So, check out these useful tips and good luck!
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1. Low Quality Materials
From supple lambskin and grainy, everlasting caviar leather to exquisite, exotic skins – Chanel bags are the synonym for luxury and style and, as such, aren’t packed or wrapped in plastic foils. So, if someone tries to sell you a supposedly authentic Chanel that is “still unwrapped” don’t fall for it! An obviously fake Chanel bag will most likely be made of some kind of PVC and you’ll be able to tell it’s not the real deal just by looking at it or touching it. Some fakes, however, can look and feel very much like the real ones so verifying that the bag in question is indeed 100% leather, unfortunately, still doesn’t mean it’s 100 authentic! Fear not as even the most perfect replicas have some flaws and the next couple of points will tell you exactly where to look for them!
2. Poor Stitching
Diamond or square stitching is something Chanel bags are famous for and that, of course, means there is no room for errors! The line and the pattern must not be broken and that means even the most complicated styles must be crafted so perfectly that observing them from the distance gives out the impression there are no pockets or flaps. Knock-offs are rarely that perfect and, although, stitches on major pockets and flaps may seem right, further inspection will prove you wrong.
Examine the consistency of the stitching closely—authentic Chanel bags boast a high stitch count, which makes the seams sturdy and the bag more durable. Look for any loose threads or uneven lines, which can be a dead giveaway. Remember, a genuine Chanel is meticulous in detail, so uneven or slanted stitching along the seams, quilting, or the iconic interlocking CC logo is a red flag. Pay special attention to areas that can be overlooked, like the underside of a flap or the backside of a pocket. Authenticity is all about precision.
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3. Mismatched Hardware
Hardware on an authentic Chanel bag is either silver or gold-toned but very,very rarely both (only in exclusive limited edition collections that come ones in a blue moon), so if you want to make sure you’re not investing your hard earned money into something that will eventually turn out to be a fake Chanel bag, pay attention to all the little details. If the chain strap and the turn lock clasp are gold-toned, all other (and that includes even the tiniest) pieces of hardware will be gold-toned as well. The small zipper on the inside pocket in some of the vintage styles will match the interior rather than the rest of the hardware but will have a round, metal CC medallion in either silver or gold tone (again, depending on the rest of the hardware).
4. Made in Stamp and Interlocking Cs Seem Odd
Another way to quickly and easily spot an obviously fake Chanel bag is to inspect the CC logo and the Made in stamp. The stamp should say Made in Italy or Made in France but never Made in Paris, Hong Kong or any other city/country. Made in letters are stamped either under the Chanel ® writing or are facing it from the opposite side of the bag’s interior and… oh, they always match the color of the hardware. Now, interlocking Cs are something you definitely need to pay attention to because they can speak volumes about the bag’s authenticity! On an authentic bag, the top portion of the right C overlaps the top portion of the left C while the bottom portion of the left C overlaps the bottom portion of the right C. On a fake Chanel bag, this overlap is rarely perfect and sometimes even completely inexistent which aids your efforts to tell and avoid a fake.
In addition, authentic Chanel bags have impeccable craftsmanship, so if the interlocking Cs look uneven or poorly made, it’s a red flag. The stitching that borders the logo should be nearly perfect. A sloppy stitch line or an uneven border can reveal the counterfeit nature of the bag. Furthermore, the hardware on the genuine Chanel is of the highest quality; it feels heavy and substantial, without flaking or chipping. Counterfeits often skimp on these details, and their hardware may feel lightweight or appear tarnished. Keep an eye out for these subtle yet telling signs when examining a potential purchase.
5. No Authenticity Card and/or Sticker
Every new authentic Chanel bag that found its way to the market has an authenticity card and a hologram sticker with a matching string of numbers - factory rejects never leave the factory and that’s a fact. So, if the seller claims the bag is “unmarked” so to speak, because it came “straight from the factory”, rest assured the factory in question is located in China and has nothing to do with the actual Chanel. When it comes to those classy and always popular vintage Chanel bags, the story is somewhat different and even the most reputable vintage dealers often offer bags with no stickers and cards. Some of these bags were made before the company started using these labels and some had them but they eventually fell off, got lost or had been removed by the owner.
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6. Wrong Authenticity Card and/or Sticker
Like I’ve said before, every Chanel bag comes with its authenticity card and a hologram sticker but since most fakes today also have those, knowing how to tell real ones from fakes definitely falls under the category of useful knowledge. Authenticity cards are plastic and black with gold letters while the hologram sticker has a plastic foil over it which makes removing the sticker without ripping it impossible.
7. Wrong Design
Being creative isn’t always a good thing, especially when you’re trying to make a living producing fake Chanel bags! LOL! Yes, it does sound funny but, do you know what’s even funnier? The fact that you can easily tell a fake Chanel bag by simply focusing on those, often not so tiny details that shouldn’t be there. Like a Chanel metal dog tag, an extra pocket, a CC logo that’s smaller, bigger, thinner or simply misplaced or a chain that looks nothing like the authentic one.
Being creative isn’t always a good thing, especially when you’re trying to make a living producing fake Chanel bags! LOL! Yes, it does sound funny but, do you know what’s even funnier? The fact that you can easily tell a fake Chanel bag by simply focusing on those, often not so tiny details that shouldn’t be there. Like a Chanel metal dog tag, an extra pocket, a CC logo that’s smaller, bigger, thinner or simply misplaced, or a chain that looks nothing like the authentic one. So you've really got to keep an eye out for those subtle but telling design flaws!
8. Oddly Low Price
Chanels sell for numbers that could make some of your frugal friends and family members start questioning your sanity and although buying pre-loved consignment goodies could help you save a couple of hundreds of bucks, the truth is that you can’t really save THAT much. Even worn out, abused Chanels end up selling for more than 300 bucks so if somebody offers you a brand new bag for that amount of money or less, you can bet it’s fake!
Knowing how to spot a fake Chanel bag will not only help you shop like a true fashion expert but help you avoid getting ripped off and spending days or even months trying to retrieve your hard-earned cash! So, be careful ladies and, once you decide to finally treat yourself with this fabulous bag, make sure it’s 100% real. And now, when you know exactly how to tell a fake Chanel bag from a real one, online shopping will be a much happier, less puzzling experience! Would you ever buy a fake or maybe know somebody who likes wearing fakes and pretending they are real?
Top Photo Credit: indulgy.com
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